Machine for making hollow blocks



Mach 5, 1940. A. KISSAM MACHINE FOR MAKING HOLLOW BLOCKS {Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 193a 6mm" eflllen Kissam,

Maul! 5, 1940. sA 2,192,474

MACHINE FOR MAKING HOLLOW BLOCKS Filed Aug. 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z uqllen 1135mm,

Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE MACHINE roa MAKING HOLLOW BLOCKS Allen Kissam, Orlando, Fla. Application Augustii, 1938, Serial No. 223,533

13 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for making hollow blocks of cementitious mixtures or the like, and more particularly. to an improved apparatus for properly and adequately tamping the mixture in a minimum space of time and with a high degree of efiiciency.

A general object of the invention is to provide a machine of the vertical stripper type including an oscillating'core which not only tamps or compacts the material against the side walls'of the mold box but also against the end walls, or in the case of a machine employing multiple cores, to compact the material against the side and end walls, as well as between the cores.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a block makingmachine including arectangular core mounted on a vertical axis for-angular movement relative tothe walls 01' the mold box,

the core being positioned vertically, that is, parallel to the path of movement of the stripper means so that after its angular movement ceases the stripping may be readily accomplished. In that connection the invention contemplates a core'mounted for angular movement which not sition, but also stops with its sidewalls so positioned as to'ofler the least resistance to the removal of the pallet, and which, because of its relatively short radius of angular'movenient has operate. Moreover, due to the fact that .the core is vertically mounted and moves on a vertical axis, and, therefore, has a relative twisting movement to eflect tamping it is possible to make ordepth or the moldbox, as well'as the core,-

may be considerably increased with the present invention,'since. the axis or angular movement is parallel to the walls of the mold box and-also parallel to the stripper means in the mold box.

A further object of the invention is to provide an oscillating core including. means located iaddacent the pallet oi the stripper means when which will give or yield and thus-avoid the abra sive efl'ect incident to rapid operation oi' thev parts, thereby increasing the operating life oithe only always maintains its generally vertical po-' less inertia and therefore requires less power to deeper mold boxes. That is to say, the height core, and at the same time reducing noise inoperation. a Another object of the invention is to provide means for mounting the core for angular-move-' ment in the mold which is -eilectively housed 5 and protected against the entry of sand or other foreign matter into the parts which support -the mold, thereby shielding them and consequently adding to their longevity and efllci'ency..

A still further object of the invention is to provide a strong and rugged construction which will stand up underall operating conditions, and whose parts may be readily made to facilitate machining operations where necessary, and which parts are soassembled as to permit of readily making replacements or repairs.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, thesame consists in the novel construction, combination and ar- 20 rangement of parts hereinai'ter'more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the improved apparatus.

Figure 2 is 'a vertical sectional view the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the mold box, and oscillating cores therein.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. a

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of the pivotal mounting for the cores.

Figured is a detail section takenon-the line 6-8 or Fig. 4.

Figure 7 is a. detail perspective view of one of the cores and a portion or its pivotal mounting. 3 s

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures 40 of the drawings. According to theigembodiment oi the inven-' tion' shown. in the drawings, the framework of the machine is designated generally as A, the mold box as 'B, the said mold box having there taken on inthevertically movable stripper means 'desig-' ated generally as 'Q and includingthe pallet C. v .The stripper means and pallet surround the oscillating cores D which ,are actuated by suit-' able power-driven means generally identified as E. The top or thi'rarne, above the mold bo B is provided with a sliding hopper F which ay be shifted from a position over the mold B as shown in Fig. 1 to arearwartl position over vu the apron F when it is desired to'strip the block from the mold.

The mold box B includes side and end walls and the stripper means C including the pallet C are mounted on suitable standards C slidable in the frame A and connected by a cross bar and roller element C adapted to be engaged by the levers carried by a rock shaft C journalled in the frame and controlled by an operator's cros-section and normally has its side and end walls parallel respectively to the side and end. ,walls of the mold box. Suitable mounting means is provided for each core to permit it to oscillate on its vertical axis so that the side walls of the core may exert a tamping force toward the side and end walls of the mold box. In addition the core itself is of novel construction in the re-- spect that it is provided adjacent the pallet with a yielding face.

As wil be observed from Figures '1 and 7 thehollow rectangular core D is preferably provided at its lower, face with a plate or shim portion l of smaller dimensions than the bottom of the core, the said plate cooperating with a flange 2 or its equivalent to provide therebetween a space for receiving a non-metallic insert .or gasket 4. The said insert or gasket 4 is preferably of rubber or other displaceable material which will yield when the core moves relative to the pallet thereby to avoid abrasive wear between the pallet and the core and at the same time substantially seal the space or clearance between the core and the pallet. The plate I and flange 2 are held in assembled relation to the bottom of the core by the bolts or other fastenings 5 so that when the insert 4 is positioned between, them it may be compressed to cause the material thereof to slightly extend or bulge beyond the outer faces of the core and flange 2. While, as previously indicated, the insert or gasket 4 is made of rubber, it will of course be understood that any other suitable and equivalent means, such as felt ,or the like, may be used, but owing to the circumstances under which the insert is used it is desirable to have some material-which is not only yieldable or dis'placeable but also waterproof and capable of standing up under deformation or displacement.

The flange 2 is preferably a part of the mounting means for the core which includes the tubular member 5 which forms a part of the vertical pivot means for the core and serves to completely shield and house a vertical pivot shaft 1 therein. This pivot shaft is non-rotatably mounted at its lower end in suitable brackets 8 secured to the bottom of the mold box as indi-' cated at 9. The inner bore of the tubular member B is provided with shoulders 6 and 8 which serve as opposite abutments against which suitable roller bearing units I!) may be positioned. These roller bearing units rotatably mount the tubular member 6 on the shaft l, and as will be observed from, Figure 5 the upper end of the shaft is reduced in diameter as indicated at 1* to provide a shoulder for the inner member of the upper bearing race HI, and is further reduced and threaded to receive a nut I for' clamping the innerkrace to the shaft. Due to the fact that the plate I is bolted to the flange 2, it will 5 of course be' understood that the nut (P is accessible for the purpose of assembling the tubular member relative to the shaft 1 before the plate I and core D are applied. The space between the lower end of the tubular member 8 and 10 the shaft 1 is preferably provided with a felt or equivalent washer ll while the lower end of the tubular member is proyided with a packing or gland nut l2 so that grease packed in the space between the shaft and the tubular member between the roller bearing units Ill-l0 will be prevented from leaking out the bottom of the tubular member. The lower end of the shaft 1 may be keyed in any suitable manner to the bracket 8. Preferably, however, the arrangement is sinzh that the shaft may be disconnected from the bracket by upward movement to permit the entire core unit to be lifted out of the bracket and mold box.

The lower end of the tubular member 6 is provided with a substantially tangential portion 6 which forms an attaching base for one end of an operating lever 13 which extends horizontally to the rear of the machine to be connected with a source of power for oscillating the tubular member and consequently the core D on the vertical pivot axis provided by the shaft I. Since two core units are shown in the present machine it will of course be understood that each core unit has an operating lever l3, each spaced laterally from: the other, as will be apparent from Figure A suitable source of power. for example, anv electric motor M is mounted on suitable suspending means lVF carried by the rear of the frame A. This motor is provided with a shaft i4 extending substantially parallel to and between the levers l3. A pair of eccentrics it are suitably spaced along the shaft I4 and preferably have therebetween another eccentric IS. The pair of eccentrics iii are connected by a bifurcated link IS with a ball and socket joint I!" associated with the free end of one of the levers i3. Also, the eccentric I6 is connected by a link IS with a ball and socket joint ld 'associated with the end of the other lever l3. The purpose of this arrangement of eccentrics is to preferably distribute the load incident to the operation of the cores on the motor-driven shaft ll. It will of course be understood that the. eccentrics l5-l5 and I6 are arranged 180 out of phase so that the levers i3-I3 will be moved toward and away from each other in operation as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the motor M is in operation the respective core units D will be oscillated about the vertical pivot axis 1, thereby to tamp the material in the mold. The degree of angular movement of the core units within the mold is comparatively small. In other words, the oscillation of the core units takes place about a relatively small radius. Owing to the rapid oscillation of the core units, however, the material in the mold will be quickly and positively tamped against the walls of the mold box. While sufficient clearance is provided between the sides'of the core and the pallet to permit the stripper means, including the pallet, to clear the cores when ejecting .the completed block, nevertheless, it is desirable to stop the [5 a I claim:

cores when the block is finished in a -.pgsition where the side walls thereof will'offer the least resistance to the operation d the stripper means. In other words, it is desirable to insure the stopping of the cores so that. .their sides are parallel to the sides of the pallet. L

One means of accomplishing the "above result is shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings. The

:shaft I4 is preferably journaled in suitable hangers "and I8 suspended from the frame A, andbetween the hangers is provided with the crank portions l9 and having an angular 'relation of 180 to each other and preferably having an angular relation of 90 to the eccentrics I 6 and 18. Each crank portion is provided with a sleeve ll and 211 which is connected with a coil spring 2| and 22 respectively, the said spring It being anchored as at 2| to a portion of the frame A andthe spring. 22 being anchored at its lower end to a bracket 22' carried by the base of the machine. These springs, during the operation of Y the shaft it will be alternately stretched as their respective cranks move, and when the power to ,the motor is cut off the tension in the springs will tend to bring the shaft ll to a position torest which will bring the eccentrics for operating the levers I! to a position which will permit-the cores to cause their side faces toalign with each other and also align with the opening in the pallet which surrounds the cores. Thus, when the stripper means, including 'the pallet is moved vertically in the mold box the cores will offer a minimum resistance to the stripping or ejection I of the completed block from the-mold.

In operation the measured charge for the block to be formed is shifted by the hopper from a position over the apron F to a position over the Lvl mold so that the charge 'will fall into the mold box and about the cores D. The operator then Qcloses a switch to-the motor and the cores are caused to oscillate on their vertical pivotaxes in accordance with the construction described.

Due to the presence of the soft or displaceable. face of the core adjacent the pallet, it will be apparent that angular movement of the core can take place while at the same time substantially sealing the space between the pallet and the core.

When the motor has been in operation a sufficient length of time to 'properly tamp the concrete,

usually about ten seconds, the current to the.

motor is cutoff and the cores come to rest in a position to permit the stripping of the block from the mold to be effected. This is accomplished by the operator moving the lever C which moves the stripper means, including the pallet, upwardly through the lever armsCi, roller C and uprights C. When the block is removed from the mold box on the pallet another pallet is placed into position and the operation described repeated.

The novel construction of the core units D permits of readily renewing the insert or gasket 4 when desired, although it will of course be understood that due to the displaceabl'e charscteristic of this insert, the life of the core 'unit is materially increased so that renewals will only be infrequently required. Moreover, due to the yielding or displaceable characteristic of the insert 4 noise incident to the operation of the core within the pallet is materially reduced. Also,

because of the novel manner in which the vertic'al pivot mounting for the core is arranged it is possible to employ a ball or roller bearing mount ing which may be packed with grease for eflicient operation and which is completely housed and shielded from foreign material.

'1. ma machine for making hollow blocks, the combination with a mold box and verticallyfop-.

erating strippermeans therein, of a rectangular core within the mold box and mounted on a vertical pivot for "oscillation relative to the side and end walls of the said mold box, and means for oscillating'the core.

'2. In a machine for making hollow blocks, the combination with a mold box and vertically operating stripper means therein, of a rectangular core within the mold box and mounted on a vertical pivot for oscillation relative to the side and end walls of themold, means for oscilla'ting the core, and means for stopping the core with its side walls in' a position to offer the least resistance to the movement of the stripper means.

3. A. machine for making hollow blocks, including, in combination, a mold box, vertically movable stripper means operable in 'the mold box, a core of rectangular, cross-section within the mold box and having substantially vertical walls parallel with the walls of the mold box, vertical pivot means for permitting the core to oscillate in a plane transversely of the mold box, and means for oscillating said core on said pivot means.

4. A machine for making hollow blocks, including, in combination, a mold box, verticallymovable stripper means operable in the mold box, 3

a core of rectangular cross-section having -sub-' stantially vertical walls parallel with the walls of the mold box, vertical pivot means for per-f mitting the core to oscillate in a plane transverselyof the mold box, lever means connected to a part of saidvertical pivot means, a. motor, a

shaft driven by said motor, connections between said shaft and said lever arm, and means connected-to said shaft for stopping said core with its side walls parallel to the walls of the mold box and stripper means.

5. A machine for making hollow blocks, in-

cluding, in combination, a mold box, vertically I movable stripper means operable in the mold box,

acore of angular cross-section in the mold box, pivot means for the core including a vertical shaft, a support for the core including a tubular portion telescopically fitting over said shaft, a lever arm connected to said'tubular support, and

means for imparting horizontal oscillating movement to said lever arm,

6. A machine for making hollow blocks, in-

cluding, in combination, a mold box, vertically movable stripper means operable in the mold box,

a core of rectangular cross-section in the moldbox, pivot means for the core including a vertical shaft, a support for the core including a tubular portion telescopically fitting over-said shaft, a lever-arm connected to said tubular support, a

motor-driven shaft disposed substantially parallel toand between said lever arms, eccentrics carried by said last named shaft, and links hav ing their inner ends connected to-said eccentrics and their outer ends connected to said lever arms.

'7. A machine for making hollow blocks, including, in combination, a mold box, vertically movable stripper means operable in the mold box,

eccentrics and their outer ends connected to said lever arms, sleeves on said cranks, and springs connected to said sleeves tending always to pull the shaft to a position of rest whereby the core will be positioned to permit the stripper means to clear the same.

8. A machine for making hollow blocks, including, in combination, a mold box, vertically movable stripper means operable in the mold box, a core. of angular cross-section in the mold box, pivot means for the core including a vertical shaft, means for supporting the core on the shaft and protecting the said shaft from foreign material, and means for oscillating said last named means.

9. A machine for making hollow blocks, in cluding, in combination, a mold box, vertically movable stripper means operable in the mold box, a core of angular cross-section in the mold box, pivoted means for the core including a vertical shaft, roller bearings fitted-to said shaft, a support for the core including a tubular portion surrounding and housing said shaft against foreign material and also engaging said roller bearings, and means for imparting an oscillating movement to said support.

10. A machine for making hollow blocks, in-

eluding, in combination, a mold box, stripper means including a pallet vertically movable in the mold box, a core positioned within the stripper means, means for mounting the core to osclllate'in a horlzontalplane relative to the pallet and mold box, and yielding non-metallic means on the core in the zone the pallet to seal the core relative to the pallet, reduce wear and silence the operation of the core relative to said pallet.

ii. A concrete block machine, including, in combination, a stationary vertical mold box, vertical cores of substantially rectangular cross section mounted permanently within the mold box on vertical axes, lever arms connectedto said c'ores near their lower ends, a driven shaft, eccentrics on said shaft, link means conecting said lever arms to the eccentrics thereby to impart an oscillating motion to the cores about their links having their inner ends connected to said vertical axes, vertically movable stripper means operable in the mold box, a pallet mounted on said stripper means, and a hopper on top of said mold box and mounted to slide clear of the mold box to permit the block to be stripped therefrom, said hopper when positioned over the mold box serving to guide material into said mold box, and

at the same time to hold an excess of material whose weight assists in packing said material in the mold box while the cores are oscillating rapidly therein.

12. A concrete block machine, including, in combination, a vertical stationary mold box, vertical rectangular cores mounted on vertical axes permanently within the mold box, vertically operating stripper means, a pallet mounted on said stripper means Within the mold box, a hopper slidably mounted on the top of the mold box. lever arms having their inner ends attached to the lower ends of said cores, and means connected with the outer ends oi the said lever arms for imparting movement thereto for oscillating said cores on their vertical taxes, said means including links connected to a motor driven ec centric shaft, said motor, shaft, linlrs, and arms impartmg to the cores an oscillating motion in a horizontal plane at a speed sufiicient to vibrate as well as pack the material between the cores and the walls of the mold box.

13. A concrete bloclr machine, including, in

combination, a stationary vertical mold box, vertically operating stripper means in the mold box including a pallet, vertical cores oi? substantially rectangular cross section in the mold box, a rubber insert in the cores at pallet line when the latter is in tamping position, said cores mounted permanently within the mold box on vertical axes, lever arms connected to said cores near their lower ends, a driven shaft, eccentrics on said shaft, link means connectingsaid lever arms to the eccentrics thereby to impart an oscillating motion to the cores about their vertical axes, and a hopper slidably mounted on top of said mold box to slide clear or the mold box when the block is to be stripped therefrom. 

